Anxiety and Depression – How They Impact Health

Depression and anxiety are two factors that can cause havoc in a person’s general health. Depression is caused due to a number of factors ranging from emotional turmoil to too much exertion at work. These create undesirable reactions in the body and cause ill health. There are a number of neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain that are responsible for maintaining balance in the body. When a person is stressed, these elements are impacted. In several cases, important chemicals in the neither brain such as nor epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin that are responsible for calming the brain and inducing sleep are lost due to stress. Emotional and psychological problems that follow depression and anxiety

Owing to the high stress life that people are living these days, there is a large increase in the number of cases of depression and anxiety. Being depressed can increase emotional degeneration. Loss of self esteem is one of the major emotional side effects of depression. The person begins to become introverted and withdrawn.
Anxiety creates a constant feeling of fear in a person that can cause strain in personal and professional lives. Further, people suffering with such a problem develop other problems such as insomnia. If not treated in time, they can lead to serious problems that can result in suicides.

Causes of depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety is caused due to a number of factors. The leading causes are some kind of tragedy such as loss of a loved one, divorces, failure in professional front and other incidents that can make a solid impact on a person. Depression can also be caused due to drugs used for illnesses. Many drugs that are used to treat diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, insomnia and Alzheimer’s have been known to cause depression and anxiety. Among the two genders, it has been found that women are more susceptible to depression and anxiety than men. Women can also suffer depression during major hormonal changes in the body such as menopause, pregnancy and childbirth. Excessive loss and gain of weight can also lead to these problems.

How to cure depression and anxiety?

A person who suffers from depression and anxiety tends exhibit symptoms such as unprecedented and unreasonable fear, withdrawal, sweating, tight shoulders, stiff neck, irregular breathing and irregular heart beat. A good physiatrist will be able to cure the problem through a combination of medicines, counseling and therapy. Healthy living habits, eating nutritious food and adequate exercise can be very effective in reducing depression and anxiety.